Here we are about two hours north of Phoenix in Tonto National Forest and almost on the shores of Roosevelt Lake. At 2,200 feet above sea level we are in what would be called high desert among chapparral.
Ffly is enjoying daily dips in the lake to wash away the dust that she accumulates on her coat during the day. She even got to ride home in the cat-four-wheeler where the warm air dried her off!
On Saturday we took a long drive along the shores of Roosevelt Lake then climbing to above 6,000 feet with magnificent views of the other surrounding mountains. At a stop along the way we discovered some strange looking nubbly stones which we now think were part of a meteorite.
We descended to an expansive valley at 5,100 feet and the small community of Young, AZ. Not much there but some scattered homes, trailers, small ranches and then we unexpectedly came across a vineyard with an “open” flag flying. What a pleasurable and leisurely lunch we had at Bruzzi Vineyard sitting on their front porch with a beautiful local charcuterie platter served on local oak board and sampling five of their wines.
From there we climbed up to the Mogollon Rim (which extends for 200 miles eastwards from northern Yavapai County to the New Mexico border) and drove for miles through Ponderosa Pine forests in the cool altitude only to descend back to Tonto Basin and temps in the mid 90’s!
